Screw-pump and the like.



A. B. WOOD.

SCREW PUMP AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8. 1916.

Patented Apr. 9, 191% Fig 1 W004. IN VEN TOR.

' ALBERT BALDWIN WOOD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

SCREW-PU1VIP AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. a, rare.

Application filed. September 18, 1916. Serial No. 120,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. WVoon, it

citizen of the United States, residing atNew Orleans, parish of Orleans, and-State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw-Pumps and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact dcscription of the invention, .such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in centrifugal, propeller or screw pumps and the like, and has for its principal object the provision of improved means for cutting I up any trash, such as rags, weeds or the like,

the propelling member.

which is about to enter the suction" side of For example,,in the use of such pumps as screw and propeller pumps, such trash as rags and weeds "will be caught by the blades on the suction sides and whirled around by the blades, seriously interfering with the efficiency of the pump. I provide means for dividing or cutting up this trash in such a manner that it readily passes through the pump with-' out in any way interfering with the efficiency of the same, or otherwise interfering with its operation. I also aim to provide means which performs these functions without imposing-any objectionable burden upon the pump itself, or in any way wearing or injuring any portion of the pump. 1

I also aim to provide means for thoroughly and efliciently cutting up the trash. To aid my aims in this direction, I may provide means for moving the cutting mechanism across the face of the approach to the pump, or a substantial part thereof, that;notrash may escape the cutting device. ,I will thus be able to accomplish my purposes by mechanism in the path of the fluid, so small as not appreciably to retard or interfere with the flow of the fluid. I also aim to provide means which can be readily removed from the pump for repairs, renewals, resharpening, etc.

Other objects of my invention will appear, and the invention itself be perhaps better understood, from a description of a particular embodiment of the invention, I

such as is shown in the annexed drawing, to which reference is now made.

Figure I shows an embodiment of my invention applied to a screw pump;

Fig. II shows the embodiment illustrated in Fig. I applied to a 'centifugal pump.

Fig. III is an enlarged View of the cutter proper shown in Figs. I and II.

'Referring now to the drawing and to the embodiment of the invention shown therein. and first to Fig. I, at 10 is shown a conduit in which a screw pump is mounted. The pump shaft is shown at 1, the hub at 2 and a blade or screw at 3. The blades revolve in a section 4 of the pump casing. The water enters the pump from the suction pipe 5 and passes outward at 61. I

A recess is formed in the casing, as shown at 11. An opening 13 is formed in the top 14 of this recess, through which a rod 6 projects and in which the rod 6 is movable. A knife or cutter 7, adjacent the movable parts of the pump, is connected to' the rod 6, preferably at the lower end, by any suitablemeans, such as a screw 15. A stuffing box 8 is provided about the rod 6 and the:

nut 22 or with an eye 23, as shown in Fig. III. The piston 9 is preferably made of three pieces 30, 31 and 32 connected together with a screw 33 embracing packing 34 between their edges, which forms a tight joint between the piston and the walls of the cylinder 12. The cylinder is provided with two openings, one on each side of the piston and preferably one at each end of the cylinder. These openings are shown at 40 and 41. I prefer to form the cylinder head 22 with a flange -70 through which the head 22 is connected tothe cylinder 12 by suitable means, such as threads 71. An, annular channel 72 is provided in the head 22 with which the opening 4,0 communicates.

The cuttmg mechamsm is prevented from turnmg 1n the support by a key 75 and a (EL i sh is shown at the hub of the pump is nown zit-,2; the blades at 3; the casing at i the suction pipe at 5; the recess in the casing at 11" the cutter blade at 7; the rod at 6 and the cylinder at 12.

Tn the operation of the embodiment shown in he wa" 5:, which is assumed to carry some trash, enters the pump on the suction side The trash, through the operation of the movable parts of the pump and due to the proximity of the cutting device to such moving parts,-is carried against the cutter and divided thereby into such relatively small particles that it passes through the pump without impeding or in j uring the same. The cutter may be raised and lowered to any desired position by means of the rod 6. Although my invention is not limited to such an arrangement, T prefer to continue the movement of the knife across the face of the pump during the entire operation of the pump. This may be done manually or automatically, for

I example, by hydraulic means, forcing water in the opening ac which acts upon the piston 9 and moves the knife on its downward path. "Vi/ ater is thereafter forced in at the opening ll and moves the knife upward across the face of the operat ng 1mpeller.

chamber 82 is connected, through ducts 83 and 8 with the openings 40 and ll respectively, and with a duct 85, going to. waste; A valve 86 is placed in the valve casing 82 lVhen the valve 86 is turned in one dire tion, water under pressure flows from the source 80 through 81, 83 and l0 into the part 87 of the cylinder 12. The water in the end 88 of 12 will flow throughdl, 84, 82 and 85 to waste. W hen the valve 86 is reversed, the water will flow from 86, into 88 and from 87 to waste.

lt will thus be seen that the knife is moved inland out by the alternateapplication of water pressure on opposite sides of the piston 9. It will also be seen that the cutter acts in its cutting: operation independently. of any portion of the pump, not imposing any burden of this nature thereon and not wearing or injuring the same. When it is desired to retire the cutter blade,

it is drawn upward until it is within thev recess 11, being then out of the path of th flow of fluid through the duct.

The operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. H is substantially the same as in Fig l. The blades 3 are revolved about cutting mechanism which are apt to be broken, dulled or otherwise ,injured are small andinenpensive, and can be readily removed and repaired, or substltutlons made without seriously interfering w1th the operation of the pump or delaying the same.

will also be seen that, where my invention is used with pumps working in water only occasionally burdened withtrash, the knife may be normally kept in retired position within the chamber 11, and when the pump gives indications of trash interfering therewith, the knife may be started on its path, thus in efiect searching out and cutting up the trash.

While I have shown hydraulic means for moving the knife and means which can be.

operated manually, it will be apparent that any suitable and convenient power may be employed to reciprocate the knife across the face of the impeller. Tt will also be understood by those skilled inthe art that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the form and details of the invention illustrated in the drawing, such form and details as are here illustrated and described being shown merely for the purpose of explaining the inventlon.

I claim:

1. Tn a pump, the combination of rotating blades, cutting means movable across the face of said blades, said cutting means adapted to divide up any solid matter about to enter said pump, apparatus to mount said ano means for moving said cutting means,

back andforth,acrossthe path of travel of said solid matter to said blades.

2. ina, pump, the combination of. rotating blades, cutting means for dividing up any solid matter about to enter the pump, an in closure for said pump provided with a re cess out of the path of water through said pump and apparatus to move "said means into said recess.

3. In a pump, the combination of rotating blades, a duct through which the fluid acted upon by said pump passes, cutting means for dividing up any solid matter about to enter the pump apparatus to mount said cutting means adjacent a fac'e of said blades, and

mechanism to move said cutting means into having an opening adjacent each end'thereof, a piston in the cylinder intermediate said means to connect the knife to the s 1,262,422 fig cylinder alternatively, whereby the knife is reciprocated across the path of travel of matter to the pump.

. 5. In a pump having rotating blades, thecombination of a knife mounted adjacenta 1O face of said blades and movable, back and forth, iacross the path of matteraboutto enter said pump,isaid knife adapted to. di-

Vide up any solid matter about to enter the pump and hydraulic means for moving said knife across the path of the movement of'15 the solid matter about toenter'the pump; In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name this 31st day ofAugust,

ALBERT B ALDWiN WooD. 

